Nexus 5X vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S6 has established itself as one of the best phones around but the Korean manufacturer can't rest on their laurels just yet because the new Nexus phone from the Google and LG partnership has just hit the shelves. The new kid in town could shake things up with a 5.2-inch screen and price that's hard to beat, so let's try and compare the Google Nexus 5X and the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Design and build-quality

The Nexus 5X features an all-plastic design. It's not a complete surprise, when you consider the relatively low cost of the handset, but it's certainly not a premium-looking phone. The Galaxy S6 on the other hand, is made of metal. It's slimmer than the 5X and has a better screen-to-body ratio, but both sport an uncomfortable camera sensor on the back.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Display

The Nexus 5X packs a 5.2-inch, Full HD display. No QHD for the Nexus 5X, but at least this keeps the cost of the handset down. The Galaxy S6, on the other hand, houses a gorgeous QHD display. While the colors are unrealistically saturated, other manufacturers have struggled to match the quality it provides.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Software

The Nexus 5X runs on the stock version of the Android software. This is the user-interface straight from Google, meaning the 5X receives fast updates and lacks any third-party add-ons. It launches with Android 6.0 pre-installed and takes advantage of all it has to offer (you can read more about Android 6.0 Marshmallow at the link).

The Samsung Galaxy S6 launches with Android Lollipop, but it will be one of the first Samsung devices to be updated to Marshmallow. That being said, I wouldn't buy it if receiving fast updates was my top priority.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Camera

The Nexus 5X arrives with a 12 MP camera but we haven't had a chance to put it through its paces just yet. Camera tech has never been the strong suit of the Nexus series, but there seems to have been a big push to improve things on the 5X – it actually houses the same camera as the more expensive Nexus 6P. We'll be sure to let you know how well it works as soon as we finish our full review.

Honestly, though, the Nexus 5X camera is going to have to be pretty special to compete with that of the Galaxy S6, which has one of the finest cameras on Android. With 16 megapixels, and an aperture of f / 1.9, the S6 camera can shoot detailed photos and videos even in low light: it's a very impressive.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Performance

The Nexus 5X comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor. While not quite as powerful as the Snapdragon 810 on paper, this chip is free from overheating concerns, and is still capable of strong performance.

That being said, there are a few subtle differences, mostly related to the graphics chips on the 5X and S6. The Galaxy S6 has a Mali-T760 graphics chip capable of producing up to 326 GFlops, while the Adreno 418 tops out at around 172.8 GFlops. But in all honesty, these are just numbers: the Nexus 5X will be capable of running all the latest and most demanding games fairly easily.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Battery

You can expect to get a full day's use out of the Galaxy S6 but not much more than that. The Korean manufacturer has provided some useful ways to get around this though, with fast-charging, wireless charging and several power-saving modes helping to keep your phone going longer.

The Nexus 5X has Marshmallow installed with its power-saving mode but, with only one option, it's not as advanced as Samsung's. However, we understand that those working on the Nexus have spent a lot of time studying the consumption of power in the new model, so hopefully it'll last longer than some of its predecessors.

The Nexus 5X also lacks wireless charging, though it has a USB Type-C port for faster charging and data transfer speeds. The S6 uses a micro-USB port, which will be going the way of the dinosaur within the next year or so.

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Specifications

Google Nexus 5X

Samsung Galaxy S6

Model:

LG-H791

SM-G920

Manufacturer:

Google

Samsung

Dimensions:

147 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm

143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm

Weight:

136 g

138 g

Battery size:

2700 mAh

2550 mAh

Screen size:

5.2 in

5.1 in

Display technology:

LCD

AMOLED

Screen:

1920 x 1080 pixels (424 ppi)

2560 x 1440 pixels (576 ppi)

Front camera:

5 megapixels

5 megapixels

Rear camera:

12.3 megapixels

16 megapixels

Flashlight:

Dual-LED

LED

Android version:

6.0 - Marshmallow

5.0.2 - Lollipop

User interface:

Stock Android

TouchWiz

RAM:

2 GB

3 GB

Internal storage:

16 GB32 GB

32 GB64 GB128 GB

Removable storage:

Not available

Not available

Chipset:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 808

Samsung Exynos 7420

Number of cores:

6

8

Max. clock speed:

1.8 GHz

2.1 GHz

Connectivity:

HSPA, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0

HSPA, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 4.1

Nexus 5X vs Galaxy S6: Conclusion

The Galaxy S6 is the better phone in most areas. It has a nicer display, better camera, faster processing and superior design. If you're debating which to buy, the primary consideration really has to be price. If money isn't too much of a concern, the S6 is better, it's a top end phone and does exactly what you'd expect. However, with the Nexus 5X costing US$379 and the Galaxy S6 is about US$520 – you have to ask whether the upgrade is worth it.

One big benefit the Nexus 5X does provide is that stock Android experience. Some users have a fundamental dislike of Samsung's TouchWiz software. If you're one such person, stick with the 5X.

Which device would you prefer? A Nexus 5X or a Galaxy S6? Let us know in the comments.